I suppose they
are going out still-hunting somewhere. Well, I wish them luck; for
when the boys can get their whisky for next to nothing they don't care
about coming here, and small blame to them, for I shouldn't myself."
Not a soul was astir in the village as the two young officers passed
along. They turned off at the lane leading to the sea, and after
proceeding a quarter of a mile came to a point where the roadway
ended, the path beyond this being merely a track. Here there was a
gate across the lane, and a wall running right and left.
"We can't find a better spot than this, Conway," Lieutenant Desmond
said. "If we sit down one on each side against the wall, a hundred men
might pass along without noticing us."
"Which side shall we sit, Desmond?"
"We will sit this side," the lieutenant replied. "If we were the other
side a man might possibly wrench himself way from our grasp, and might
outrun us, but on this side of the gate he couldn't do so; for even if
he did break away he would have to run back toward the village, the
gate would stop his going the other way."
Accordingly the young officers took their posts against the wall, one
on either side of the gate, and with their swords drawn awaited the
coming of a messenger to the Red Captain.
"There is no chance of any one being here for another twenty minutes,"
Desmond said.
Pages:
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284